LIVERPOOL is bidding to bring a mini-Olympics to the city by competing to stage the UK School Games.

The Culture Company wants to host the event in 2008, the start of the country’s Olympiad, which is expected to showcase the sports stars of the future.

The four-day event, which has major opening and closing ceremonies, would attract investment and create new sports facilities in the region.

Jason Harborow, chief executive Liverpool Culture Company, said: “We are very keen to play our part in the Olympics.

“Beijing hands over to London in 08, that’s when the UK’s Olympiad begins and we want to stage the games during that year.The competition will be tough but the benefits are obvious.”

The announcement came at the Culture Company’s monthly briefing where Mr Harborow also revealed that more than #650,000 in grants will have been handed out by March next year.

They will go to 107 groups to fund events as diverse as a stilt walking drumming troupe to a lesbian and gay film festival, and a choral premiere by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

Mr Harborow said: “It’s great to see that many of the smaller organisations have been included in this process, with grants starting from less than #1,000.

“It might be a small amount to some groups, but it is often the difference between a project being allowed to go ahead, or sinking without trace.

“The grants process has been long, detailed and thorough.

“I’m confident that people will support public money being used in this way to help the flowering of Liverpool’s culture.”

The latest announcements come as plans were passed yesterday by the city council’s executive to cut the Culture Company’s board from 24 to 14 members.

The plans were part of a memorandum of understanding laying out the formal relationship between the Culture Company and the city council.

Talks are now being held with members of the board to decide who stays and who goes.

Mr Harborow added: “The board will be reduced to 14. It is difficult to reach a decision with a large number and we have looked round and 12-14 is the optimum number.”

The Culture Company is also planning to recruit a replacement for Robyn Archer and could use the same headhunting firm to find suitable candidates.